


and so even death fell in the face of love

by orphan_account



Category: Now You See Me (Movies)
Genre: Anal Sex, Angst, Angst and Porn, Angst with a Happy Ending, Anonymous Sex, Canon Compliant, Eventual Smut, Insecurity, M/M, Mild Smut, Miscommunication, Misunderstandings, Pining, Self-Esteem Issues, Self-Hatred, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-05
Updated: 2020-03-05
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:40:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23023405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: It’s not that Daniel hates himself, see. It’s just a thing, where during a heist he screws up and thinks, wow, if I was dead this would have went perfect, and between the moments of self-doubt and arrogance he’s come to accept that yeah, maybe he doesn’t really deserve all that he has. Maybe if he was dead Dylan would think fucking finally, he’s gone. Merritt would roll his eyes and be glad that he doesn’t have to put up with Daniel’s controlling ass. Lula and Jack- well, they wouldn’t give two shits.It’s just a fact, and he acknowledges it; he’s one of those people that are inadequate and odd and say all the wrong things and just not enough. He’s accepted it, knows it in his bones; people can do better than him. He doesn’t really deserve to live, really, that’s it.
Relationships: J. Daniel Atlas/Jack Wilder
Comments: 4
Kudos: 144





	and so even death fell in the face of love

It’s not that Daniel hates himself, see. It’s just a thing, where during a heist he screws up and thinks, wow, if I was dead this would have went perfect, and between the moments of self-doubt and arrogance he’s come to accept that yeah, maybe he doesn’t really deserve all that he has. Maybe if he was dead Dylan would think fucking finally, he’s gone. Merritt would roll his eyes and be glad that he doesn’t have to put up with Daniel’s controlling ass. Lula and Jack- well, they wouldn’t give two shits.

It’s just a fact, and he acknowledges it; he’s one of those people that are inadequate and odd and say all the wrong things and just not enough. He’s accepted it, knows it in his bones; people can do better than him. He doesn’t really deserve to live, really, that’s it.

-

They pull off a great show and it goes viral, the performance circulating and the fans going wild. Dylan drags them out to celebrate and they’re getting wasted at a bar; Merritt’s charming a girl’s panties off and Lula’s fucked off to God knows where with a body latched onto her.

Daniel hates the atmosphere here. It’s crowded and greasy with the sick stench of alcohol clinging to the air, pervading his senses and making him uneasy. The showman clutches his beer - not a sip taken from it - and tries to avoid eye contact, hunching into the comfort of his chair. He’s debating if he should sneak away, and when Daniel spots Jack warming up to a blonde it’s his last straw.

He slips out of the bar quietly, no one noticing him, his years of being invisible and knowing where to hide proving worthy. He slinks back to the hotel and gets a long, delicious shower, before delving into bed. For lack of better to do, he yanks his laptop over and pulls up videos of the show, watching the performance over and over again from different angles.

He can’t help but cringe whenever the camera pans to him, his unsightly figure next to the rest of the magicians. He can’t help but notice how- well, ugly he looks. He’s ruining the stage, disrupting the scene - he reckons if Dylan was up there instead it’ll look infinitely better.

Daniel doesn’t bring much to the table, anyway. Merritt’s got his insane mind fucks and Lula with her confidence and decapitating act; Dylan with his planning and intellect and Jack.

Oh God, Jack.

With his smile and wit and absolute charm and sleight and cards and charisma that just leaves Daniel absolutely floored - Jack bloody Wilder brought everything. Daniel can’t hold a candle to Jack’s perfection. He’s got nothing compared to him.

Sure, call it infatuation. Danny thinks it’s more than that. The way Jack moves, cards sliding around him and how he thinks and acts and works simply captivates Daniel to every extent.  
But Jack is so out of Daniel’s league it hurts. So much. But Daniel’s accepted it a long time ago - that he just simply isn’t good enough for anyone as beautiful as Jack.

He watches the videos and scrutinizes every minute detail and place he slipped up until his eyes can’t focus. He goes to sleep with tears in his eyes.

The horsemen’ll be better off without him, anyway.

-

They’re practicing together, idle chit chat and warm coffee brewing in the kitchen. They have nothing much on their schedule for a while and it’s the most relaxed they’ve been in a long time.

Merritt is working with Jack, trying to teach him how to put people to sleep while the sleight stands there looking extremely baffled. Lula is watching them with a smile twitching at her lips.

Daniel is swinging cards at a target, unfocused and unhurried. He’s distracted by Jack, admiring him from afar and notes how pretty he is, eyelashes framing his mocha eyes and lips wrapped in a soft little frown. His hands are twisting around an ace, tossing it up only for it to boomerang back perfectly onto his fingertips.

Jack is something else. Daniel thinks it’s unfair, how ethereal he is and how much Daniel loves him compared to how Jack doesn’t even spare a glance his way. He doesn’t see anything but a friend in the showman, a mentor to look up to even though Jack’s already miles ahead of him.

He’s lost in his thoughts and doesn’t notice when Jack’s stopped talking to Lula and is instead looking at him concerned. “You alright, Danny?” he flicks a card at him which Daniel deftly slides up his sleeve.

“Yeah. Yeah, don’t worry, I’m just tired, s’all.” He mutters, glaring at Merritt who has a knowing glint in his eyes. The hypnotist puts a finger to his lips mockingly with his other hand up in surrender. Jack watches the silent exchange with a look of bewilderment.

“Showmen.” He mutters, snagging the card back from Daniel and tossing it at Merritt’s head.

-

Daniel is sick. He has a horrible fever and he hates being in bed all day and staring at the ceiling, feeling awful and like the most useless person.

It’s not that bad, really. Lula hangs out with him and they play chess until their fingers hurt, Jack spends hours practising his tricks with him (he’s getting incredibly smooth) and Merritt kind of just sits there and makes fun of him; and it’s hard not to love them.

But when Daniel is alone in bed feeling miserable he thinks and ponders. The others seem to be getting along just fine. Everything’s working as it should, even without Danny there to poke his head in. He questions if he’s just a hindrance to them.

He’s not stupid. He knows how the fans always comment on how stunning Lula is, how gentlemanly Merritt acts, Jack’s boyish confidence - they don’t spare a thought about him. If he was recognised by a fan as a horseman they would be disappointed it was him and not the others. He’s only the stain at the bottom of the shoe.

They don’t need him. How long is Daniel going to cling on until they give up and kick him out?

-

Three days later, Daniel wakes up with a clear head and a fresh body. Glad the fever had finally passed, he tiptoes down to see what the others are up to. Merritt seems to be still sleeping, but he can hear the muffled conversation of Jack and Lula in the living room.

He peeks in and glimpses Lula draped across Jack, her body overlapping his on the couch. Their elbows are brushing and their legs are tangled - Jack almost falls off laughing at something the self-decapitator said.

Daniel’s heart fucking shatters. He knows the two aren’t together, but God, he can see it - he can see how well of a couple they’d be, one of those that have dates at cheesy restaurants and hold hands in cramped cinemas. Danny sees the little Lulas and Jacks running around their fucking pickett fence mansion while the two of them lean on each other. He can see it all and it hurts, hurts so bad that he’ll never be enough for Jack, that he’ll never look at him that way.

He edges out of the room quietly, rushing upstairs and brushing the tears out of his eyes. He’s a fucking moron, to think he ever may have had a silver of a chance with Jack.

-

Dylan’s towing them around in a car, on the way back to their place after a day at the trick shop. Merritt's sitting smugly in shotgun while Lula, Jack and Daniel squish in a puppy pile behind. It’s a comfortable silence; filled only with the pinging of Lula’s phone and Merritt’s ear piercing whistles.

Daniel’s crammed up against Jack, and every touch sets his nerves on fire. The showman gets goosebumps from how warm Jack is, and his weight leaning casually on Daniel like it’s nothing.

God, it’s so unfair - Jack can do shit like this without thinking twice but it’s- it means the world to Daniel.  
He would be trying to subtly seek comfort in Jack’s body if he didn’t feel so selfish and guilty doing so. He can’t take his eyes off the way Lula and Jack fit together so well, slipping into each other like jigsaw and Daniel aches for that - he wishes he could be in Lula’s place, could be what Jack wants, what Jack needs. But he’s far from it, and he’s got no right to take Jack from Lula, no right to try and wreck their relationship. So he keeps his hands to himself, and stays rigid.

-

It’s a Sunday morning Daniel decides “Fuck it, I’m gonna play matchmaker for these two idiots who can’t get their heads out of their asses and see that they’re made for each other”. He’s back after a run and he sees Jack’s little handwritten note to him plastered onto the countertop, telling Daniel he left for groceries and Lula’s upstairs if he needs anything. There’s a little kissy face at the bottom of the note, obviously added by Lula, and Jack’s messy scrawl over in an attempt to cover it. Danny finds this incredibly funny and takes a picture of it to safekeep.

He opens his laptop and hunts for content to busy himself with online, but a notification catches his eye. He expands it to find it’s a dumb Metro article about Lula and Jack’s “Secret Relationship?!”, with blurry pictures and captions to prove the point. There’re a bunch of fans in the comments exploding with support, talking about how they’re a great couple and they adore it.

Daniel sighs in defeat and is about to close the tab when a comment catches his eye: “I honestly think Danny likes Jack...they’d make a better couple :/”.

It takes all of the showman’s discipline to stamp out to silver of hope that perhaps Jack and Daniel would be better than him with Lula. The fan is wrong. They’re absolutely wrong and he hates that they couldn’t be right.

Daniel brings shit to everyone he loves. He drove Henley away because he had no fucking filter and he drags the horsemen into messes because he’s so bloody arrogant and he just cannot be good for anyone. All he does is ruin their lives.

He will not bring it upon Jack. No matter how selfish he is, he’d never stoop to that level. He has to change the fans’ minds - has to show them how Lula and Jack are perfect, has to prove Jack is better than all Danny has to offer.

-

And so it begins. Daniel distances himself from Jack, no matter how much it hurts him to; because it’s for Jack’s good, even if he can’t see it. He pushes Lula and Jack together when he can, going out of his way to give them alone time and dragging Merritt out of the house with him to leave them alone. It fucking hurts.  
Jack’s confused. He doesn’t understand what Daniel is trying to achieve, and remains oblivious - so Danny tries and tries and Jack fights back harder.

It’s a torturous time, and it near launches the four of them into catastrophe. Lula is convinced Daniel’s trying to mock her and Merritt thinks he’s stupid and Jack is just confused. Daniel knows they won’t understand what he’s doing because they don’t see that it’s for the best, that if he puts Lula and Jack together they’ll get caught up in each other and forget he was ever there and he can slip out of the horsemen.

It’s really not that he doesn’t want to be here - it’s all Danny has. But he knows they could do so much better than the mess of Daniel. He wishes he could stay, he really does, but he knows he’s not good enough and all he’ll ever do is bring them down.

It’s during planning for a show where he finally gets confronted. They’re crowded around a map, hunched over and scribbling idea over idea. Jack is trying to prove that it would be more efficient if they got Merritt to knock the guards out and Daniel is about to argue but he stops.

What right does he have to have a say in it anymore?

So he stays silent when they go through the rest of the plan, nodding whenever someone throws him a glance for approval. It soon descends into awkward tension when they realise Daniel has yet to object or contribute.

Lula throws her hands up. “Danny, I’ve no clue what game you’ve been tryna play on us but it’s getting darn bloody annoying. You’ve been crazy nice to us and I’ve no idea for what and- I don’t understand what you’re trying to achieve!”

Danny flinches. He reckons the situation looks stupid now, but once he snaps his ties with them and falls out of the Eye they’ll thank him. It’s for the best.

Jack frowns. “What do you mean? You’ve forgotten to give us the talk about what you’re doing because we’ve got no idea what’s been going on except that you’ve been acting strange, and we just wanna know if you’re okay!”

Daniel growls when he realises he said it aloud. “It’s none of your business. Get your act together. Nothing’s going on. Finalise the action scheme and we’ll hand it to Dylan on Friday.” He storms out of the room, hands clenched and shaking.

Merritt watches with a sympathetic glint in his eye.

-

They’re at the magic shop in Macau, getting supplies to steal the stupid chip for Walter. Daniel’s looking up a dice when he sees, out of the corner of his eye, Jack’s belt in Lula’s hands and both their faces lit up with smiles so wide Danny’s heart physically hurts.

It hits him so hard- this was what he was working towards, he should be happy, should be satisfied, but no it pains him so much he feels tears spring to his eyes and he struggles to breathe with the weight on his chest.

Danny’s heart breaks. But he shoves it aside, and pats himself on the back for another mission well done. Lula and Jack are together. They’re together.

They’re together.

-

When they get back to the dingy motel a sneering Walter threw them the keys to, Danny stumbles into his room and blanks out on the piss stained sheets.

He’d done it. Lula and Jack are together - why else would Lula be holding Jack’s fucking belt in a secluded corner of the shop, both of them breathless and giggling? He knows Lula is better than anything he’ll ever be, but he can’t stop himself from despising her in this moment. And that only contributes to how much of a dick he is because, hey, what the hell, he knows they’re meant for each other and he’s so much of an idiot to want to ruin it?

He cries himself to sleep.

-

The next night, Danny’s heart is still sore and hurt so he copes the only way he knows how to cope - he goes out. He gets fucking trashed at a club.

And when he’s on his fifth beer and dancing to the third generic EDM song - really, this place had no variety - he spots a guy with strikingly familar brown eyes and a captivating smile looking at Danny he says fuck it.

He’s far too drunk to comprehend what’s going on when he plasters himself against the man. He’s far too drunk to comprehend what’s going on when the other licks up his neck, and he’s far too drunk to comprehend what’s going on when he throws a fistful of cash at the taxi driver before stumbling into his room, lips smashed against Brown Eyes. Danny groans when Brown Eyes grinds up into his clothed groin, rubbing his erection against Daniel’s, and he takes the chance to yank Brown Eyes’ shirt off. Brown Eyes shoves Daniel on the bed, making quick work of his button-up and suspenders, popping a clip off in his haste to get Danny naked. Daniel groans when his underwear is pulled down, the cool air hitting his cock. A wet tongue laps at the head, sucking the precum off Danny’s tip and Danny can’t help but thrust up into his wet mouth. He hits the back of his throat, making Brown Eyes chokes loudly. Danny swears and moves to apologise but Brown Eyes lets out a positively sensual moan and dives back down, working vigorously down his dick, and Daniel thinks oh, okay, so he’s into that.

A few minutes of Brown Eyes giving Daniel the best fucking blowjob when suddenly he pulls off and flips Danny over. He whines and thrashes but Brown Eyes’ grip is firm and oh shit, that’s hot. Brown Eyes dips his head down to his ear and husks, “Condom but no lube, you okay with spit?” and Daniel’s resounding moan is enough affirmation.

Brown Eyes rolls Danny on his back and crawls between his legs before lowering his head and lapping at Daniel’s hole. He throws his head back and yelps, but when Brown Eyes begins moving his tongue in and out he dissolves into a fit of helpless moans because holy shit Daniel loves getting rimmed.

Danny’s hole starts to clench around his tongue, and Brown Eyes pulls off with a lustful look and shuffles forward. He grazes two fingers over Daniel’s lips, ordering, “Suck,” and Danny obliges with enthusiasm, licking and fellating them until they’re dripping with saliva. Brown Eyes then takes them and puts them in his own mouth, doing the same while making eye contact with Daniel all the way and he- is extremely turned on.

Brown Eyes brings his fingers down to Daniel’s hole and, without warning, shoves them both in. Daniel makes an embarrassingly high noise that he will never admit to and almost fucking cums right there. Brown Eyes starts to relentlessly scissors him, fingers going deeper and deeper each time until they find his prostate and when they do Daniel fucking screams.

Once Brown Eyes deems Danny prepped enough, he grabs his legs and lifts them over his shoulder so he has more access to Daniel’s hole. Brown Eyes rolls the condom on and spits on his cock, rubbing it against his entrance, pushing his head in slightly just to make Daniel moan. Then, finally, his length goes in inch by inch, until his entire dick is sheathed inside of Danny, who’s panting and squirming in pleasure.

They stay there like that for a while, letting Danny adjust, and when he nods Brown Eyes starts thrusting hard, pulling out almost completely and then slamming back into him. At this point Daniel is reduced to groaning, his mind clouded with pleasure, the only sound registering the obscene slap of skin against skin. Brown Eyes grunts after a while, muttering “I’m gonna cum,” and the sound of Brown Eyes’ voice is enough to tip Daniel off the edge. He cums with a shriek, ropes of white spewing onto the sheet, thrusting back into Brown Eyes’ cock to ride out his orgasm. Brown Eyes, upon watching him cum, groans and follows, pouring into the condom. He pulls out slowly and ties the condom up to throw, before getting a towel to wipe Danny clean of the drying seed. Daniel’s too disoriented to comprehend what’s going on, and he doesn’t notice when Brown Eyes slips into bed with him, and he doesn’t notice when he snuggles up into his warmth.

He doesn't notice the room number, and he doesn't notice it's Jack's room.

-

Daniel’s eyes blink open slowly, his vision hazy with hangover. His mind is a pleasant clean slate, hindered only by the throbbing in the back of his skull which- admittedly, isn’t that terrible. It’s poetic in a way that Danny finds ironic.

Then he turns over and Jack is sleeping next to him.

Danny is shocked and confused for all of three seconds until last night’s escapade comes flooding back and oh god.

He sits up violently and sees Jack’s favourite worn card deck sitting on the table and his luggage at the side of the room and he should’ve known. He should’ve fucking known that he’d stumbled into Jack’s room, brought Jack back when they were drunk out of their heads, took advantage of Jack when he wasn’t lucid and Daniel feels like a piece of shit.

A cold feeling settles in his gut. He can see the look of disgust on Jack’s face when he wakes up, how gross he’d feel, realise that Danny is essentially a rapist and he’ll-

Daniel has to leave.

He slips out of bed, trying not to disturb the sleeping man. Danny’s prowling around for his shirt when his toe smashes into a drawer and he yelps in surprise. Jack groans and shakes awake, groggy with sleep and confusion. He flips over and sees Daniel, eyes scrunching adorably for a second before smiling lightly. “Hey.”

Danny freezes. His mouth gets ahead of his mind and before he can stop himself he blurts out “You’re not mad?”

Jack tilts his head. “Why would I be?”

“I basically- I- I raped you, Jack! You were drunk and I took advantage of you and-”

Jack is off the bed and pressing himself against Danny in an instant, hands pinning him to the wall and his eyes full of fiery determination. “You did nothing of that sort, Danny. Did you think I didn’t want it? Do you have any idea how many nights I’ve spent jacking off to you? Hell, I’ve wanted you for so damn long, you don’t even know-”

“No.”

“No?”

Danny exhales. “You don’t want me. You want Lula. We all see the way you look at her, the way she looks at you, and God knows you’re perfect for each other. I’d never go between that, Jack. You don’t want me. You really, really don’t.”

Jack’s lips part in disbelief. “Is that what you think? Is that why you’ve been- oh my God, Altas, you’re so fucking stupid-” and then his lips are on Daniel’s.

It’s slow. It’s a proper kiss, nothing of the furious aggression last night. Jack licks into his mouth and Daniel is so shocked he forgets to react, and before he realises it Jack is pulling away with doubt-

He pulls Jack back in and wraps his arms around his waist. Daniel thinks he may be crying when he tastes the stupid mint chocolate that Jack loves, cinnamon and something that’s just so undeniably Jack and yeah, Daniel’s crying. Jack looks at him concerned, but Daniel just shakes his head and hugs him tight.

-

“I can’t believe you thought I was in love with Lula.” Jack nuzzles into Daniel’s ear, when they’re on the bed and sated after an hour of making out. Danny fights to hide his blush and exclaims, “I didn’t know she was gay!”

Jack cackles and flops back down on the bed. “You’re adorable- you have no idea how cute you are.” Danny mutters something under his breath.

“Whaddya say?”

“I said, I didn’t think you or any of the others liked me at all.”

Jack props himself up on his elbow and stares at him. “What do you mean?”

“I’m too much to handle. Henley left because I was a little bitch, and Dylan was pissed with me, and all I ever do is mess up.”

Jack flips over suddenly and pins him on the bed. “I love you.” He says abruptly.

Daniel splutters. “What?”

“I love you, Altas. And I’ll say it over and over until you believe me. When I first saw you that damned day I knew I was fucked over. You focus so hard on our plans and help us develop them impossibly well. You won’t stop until we do it perfectly but yet you’re still so bloody caring about us. You’ll throw everything down the moment any of us are in danger. You care about us so, so much, and don’t you dare for a second doubt that we care about you just as much. You’re gorgeous, and you deserve everything I can give you. I fucking love you so much, Danny, please believe me.”

Daniel’s rendered speechless for a whole minute before Jack shakily cups his face and whispers, “I know you may not be ready to believe me when I say you’re perfect to me. And that’s okay. But I love you so, so much, and don’t you dare for a second doubt that.”

Daniel presses his mouth to Jack’s. “I love you too. I fucking love you to the moon and back.”

-

Lula doesn’t let anyone hear the end of it when she finds out Danny thought she was in love with Jack.

-


End file.
